Snake in the Grass

Nature journal excerpt from April 30, 2018...

© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 78368753 - Eastern Ratsnake; Walton County, Georgia. April 30, 2018.

Monday, 4:29 PM- A nice, warm 75° with bright sun. Walking up to the ponds before leaving for the day. I pause to see a dead Catfish laying next to the pond. His skin has become tight and dry like an Egyptian mummy as it lay in the afternoon sun.

Something draws my glance a few feet to the left. Perhaps it was some sort of imperceptible movement, but my eyes were directed to the tall grass from whence a 3 foot Black Ratsnake is emerging.

Normally I’d reach down to grab it for a few photos. But instead of disturbing his afternoon crawl, I shot some photos there in the grass.

Walton County, Georgia